Who makes makes better rods and reels, Shakespeare or Penn?

Bet that title got a few of ya thinking :lol:

Here's the answer below:

Just got this emailed to me from a Tackle shop owner in Oz, makes for interesting thoughts, will it change anything? Maybe some re badged penn rods & reels at cheap prices :D

Yesterday's press release from K2, the mega company that owns a heap of sporting brands including Shakespeare and Pflueger:

For Immediate Release
Columbia, SC – Shakespeare Fishing Tackle, a leading manufacturer of fishing rods, reels, fishing line and accessories is pleased to announce the acquisition of Penn Fishing Tackle Mfg. Co. Founded in 1932, Penn is the market leader in saltwater trolling and spinning reels and saltwater rods.

These products include the famous Penn International®, Senators®, GT, and GTO trolling reels, as well as Slammer® and Spinfisher® SSM and SSG spinning reels.

“For 75 years, Penn products have been the gold standard for offshore, inshore and surf fishing,” according to Scott Hogsett, President of Shakespeare. “Shakespeare is excited to be able to add Penn’s broad assortment of saltwater products to complement the current Shakespeare, Pflueger and All Star freshwater, inshore and saltwater offerings.”

“We look forward to bringing to Penn the vast new product introductions and innovation that our customers have come to expect from Shakespeare and Pflueger each year. The Penn name is one of the greatest brands in fishing, but has lacked the resources to grow and develop markets. Our volume and economies of scale will allow us to reinvest in the brand and grow market share.”

Shakespeare is a K2 Inc. company, a premier branded consumer products company with a portfolio of leading brands.

i bet that will reflect in the prices of penn rods too :?

I knew it had been talked about for the last few weeks in the states...looks like its done deal.....dont think it will make that much difference to the products....it may effect Penn Europe though.....time will tell :?

Tom.

Shittums. :( When you asked that question every right minded person was saying Penn there mate, just hoping the Penn side of things doesn't go downhill! If it does we're losing a great Tackle Brand. I wonder if it will effect the developement, and release of the like of the 515... :?

It will probably make things better for Penn and Penn products....K2 is an ongoing tackle opperation who want to grow....where as the guys who owned it before tended to just buy to sell on once the time was right...this perhaps proves it.

IMHO K2 will view Penn in the scenario "if its not broke dont try to fix it" and Penn have some good products in development right now, plus Penn are stronger now than they have been for years.

Tom.

plus shakespeare are getting to a higher standard now with a lot of their products....

got to see a lot of the new salt range and by fare best rod yet from them and the tripod is very good.

plus shakespeare are getting to a higher standard now with a lot of their products....

Indeed. I bought one of there Powerplay bass rods last year and it aint broke yet, im amazed :shock:

Marty

Shakespeare stuff is improving, and as Tom mentioned with K2 now behind Penn it should improve the newer products from Penn. Hopefully in the fixed spool area Penn might actually bring out new products of their own rather than re-badged Ryobi stuff such as the Penn (Ryobi) Applause.

BTW Shakespeare must produce the best lasting rods, I've got 2 9ft Ugly stik spin rods that has been through hell & back over last 20yrs and still going strong! :D

I wish that were the case, but when a company buys a smaller company, they don't always absorb the good, they normally force their ways, and structure, which means PENN's standards slipping!! A bit negative I know, but thats life! no, where's my gun. :oops: :oops: :cry: :cry:

is it just me or is the k2 company just a umbrella company, as they buy up other companies and often let then compete and operate as individuals so they can just cream the profits.

the other end of the scale is that you may see Penn fs reels improve to the standard of Shakespeare (IMHO make better fs reels) and that the Superior standard of Penn rods may improve Shakespeare rod development